Why Mission Without Borders?

One of our donors tells us why he sponsors a child and what it was like to finally meet face to face

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Slava Bohu! – Glory to God!

For the last nine years David has been sponsoring Zahar in Ukraine. In 2018 they finally had the chance to meet and David was able to see firsthand how our work in Ukraine is changing lives.

David started sponsoring a child through Mission Without Borders (MWB) in 2009 after finding out about us through his church. He went on a short term trip to Moldova and was impressed by what he saw.

He said, “I think the spiritual and psycho-social support you give is really important for kids growing up in some challenging situations that are often forgotten about.”

Zahar lives in the Rivne region in western Ukraine. He was just seven years old when David started sponsoring him. Zahar is one of 100,000 children living in 663 orphanages and other residential facilities in Ukraine – one of the highest rates of institutionalisation in Europe. We work with children’s institutions to provide not just practical support, but also emotional and spiritual support.

David said, “On the day of the visit, I joined Mission Without Borders staff for their morning devotions, before a group of us boarded a minibus and headed off to the rural town where my sponsor child lives.

“The team had coincided the visit with one of their Christian input sessions to all the kids in the home, which was both accessible and professionally done. As for my sponsored child, it was great to meet him. He was quite shy at first but also looking forward to the visit, and I am very proud of how he is doing in spite of the challenges he faces. It was also great to see the positive contribution that MWB’s work has made for him.
“I took him some small gifts and we talked about his hopes and plans for the next stage of his life. I hope to continue sponsoring him through that next stage. I guess most people don’t have the opportunity to visit, but if you are supporting the work of MWB – thank you! It’s making some great work possible.

“I am very proud of how he is doing in spite of the challenges he faces”“The MWB Ukraine team run an extensive operation - reaching around 7,000 children across 50 boarding homes in five regions, running a Bible correspondence course, putting on several summer camps, creating Christian radio broadcasts, and partnering with local churches. They also support 500 families, helping them towards self-sufficiency; and distribute food and clothing including to some conflict-affected areas of the country – all assisted by a worldwide MWB family of supporting offices, including the UK.”

David added, “This was a particularly momentous trip for me. Five years ago in 2013, I was left temporarily paralysed by a rare illness called transverse myelitis and found myself rebuilding and learning to walk again. Now largely recovered, this was the most adventurous trip I’ve made since then. I shared this at the staff devotions. Mykola Bogdanets, the country director, said, “Slava Bohu!” – “Glory to God!” … I think that is an appropriate note to end on!”

4,030

4,030 children sponsored in Ukraine, receiving practical, spiritual and emotional